Shadow of Doubt

Shadow of Doubt

Year: 1935

Runtime: 74 mins

Language: English

Director: George B. Seitz

Thriller

When a Hollywood producer is murdered, the most likely suspect is a man who is smitten with the victim’s fiancee.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Shadow of Doubt (1935)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Shadow of Doubt (1935). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1930s

Set in the 1930s, the film channels the era’s glamorous yet cutthroat entertainment milieu. Radio contracts, movie offers, and public reputations drive the characters’ decisions as they navigate love and ambition. In this period, personal alliances are as valuable as wealth, and rumors can be as dangerous as a weapon.

Location

New York City

The story unfolds across theaters, clubs, mansions, and upscale apartments in New York City. It places us inside a glamorous but perilous showbiz world where public personas clash with private motives. The city’s fast pace and glittering social scene amplify the characters’ ambitions and the suspense of the mystery.

🗽 New York City 🎭 Showbiz 🏙️ Urban nightlife

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:17

Main Characters – Shadow of Doubt (1935)

Meet the key characters of Shadow of Doubt (1935), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Sim Sturdevant (Ricardo Cortez)

An ambitious suitor who pursues Trenna Plaice, using a radio contract as part of his power play. He craves social standing and a future with Plaice, but his plans collide with her independence and rivalries. His actions set off a chain of provocations and grudges that fuel the mystery.

🎭 Ambition 💘 Romance 🗣️ Manipulation

Trenna Plaice (Virginia Bruce)

An aspiring actress who weighs love against career opportunities. She rejects Sim’s proposal, seeking to advance her film prospects, and earlier owned a pistol that becomes part of the murder investigation. Her choices place her at the center of suspicion and romantic entanglements.

🎬 Actress 💃 Independence 🧭 Career-driven

Len Hayworth (Bradley Page)

A successful actor whose advances create tension with Trenna Plaice and provoke jealousy in others. His murder becomes the catalyst for the investigation, and his promiscuous interactions with others complicate motives. His presence in the social circle drives several key confrontations.

🎭 Fame 💢 Jealousy 🕰️ Social power

Reed Ryan (Regis Toomey)

A press agent and Johnny Johnson’s boyfriend who resents Hayworth’s advances toward Johnson. He becomes a suspect and is later revealed as the killer, exploiting the era’s publicity-driven environment. His actions show how professional jealousy can escalate into violent crime.

🕶️ Media 🗡️ Jealousy 🕵️‍♂️ Deception

Aunt Melissa Pilson (Constance Collier)

Sturdevant’s aunt, prudent and perceptive, who doubts Plaice’s guilt and ultimately helps expose the truth. She observes events closely, crafts a trap, and acts as a moral counterbalance to the other schemers. Her involvement shifts the investigation toward a decisive resolution.

🧓 Family 🧭 Cunning 🗣️ Insight

Lisa Bellwood (Betty Furness)

A social figure who claims she will marry Len Hayworth, part of the glamour and rumor mill surrounding the circle. Her presence adds tension and expectations within the romantic and social web, contributing to the atmosphere of speculation.

🎉 Socialite 💬 Rumor mill 🕵️‍♀️ Suspicion

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:17

Major Themes – Shadow of Doubt (1935)

Explore the central themes of Shadow of Doubt (1935), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

💔 Love and Ambition

Romance here is inseparable from career moves. Sim Sturdevant pursues Trenna Plaice while leveraging a radio contract to secure her future, highlighting how affection can become a tool of advancement. Plaice values her independence and opportunities, resisting pressure to marry for convenience. Jealousy and social status intensify choices, turning affection into a strategic gamble.

🎭 Showbiz and Fame

The plot revolves around the glamour and danger of pageant-ready stardom. The radio deal, movie prospects, and celebrity status shape rivalries and decisions. Public personas are manipulated as currency, and reputations become battlegrounds for power and influence. The spectacle of show business amplifies the stakes of every relationship.

🕵️‍♀️ Deception and Suspicion

Deception threads through every interaction, with alibis, stolen guns, and shifting motives creating misdirection. Evidence is bent to frame or exonerate characters, keeping the audience guessing. The aunt’s scheming and the killer’s careful manipulation push the investigation toward a dramatic pivot. Trust is scarce as the truth surface slowly reveals itself.

🔪 Murder and Mystery

The murder of a prominent figure becomes the central puzzle, with clues mounting and suspicions shifting. A gun of the same type used in the Hayworth killing appears in Plaice’s apartment, complicating the case. Reed Ryan’s jealousy and hidden agenda come to light as the true killer is uncovered. The narrative resolves through a decisive reveal and a calculated trap that exposes the culprit.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:17

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Shadow of Doubt Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Shadow of Doubt, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Shadow of Doubt Summary

Shadow of Doubt Timeline

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Shadow of Doubt Timeline

More About Shadow of Doubt

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Shadow of Doubt (1935) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

Shadow of Doubt (1935) Scene-by-Scene Movie Timeline

Shadow of Doubt (1935) Spoiler-Free Summary & Key Flow